Forgotten wishes
by Silver Flyer
Summary: Reiren and Sayuri Echizen return to Japan with their father to try to heal from the traumatic experience they had. When they meet the tennis team, sparks and tempers will fly. No good summarizing. Please read and review
1. Chapter 1

Silver Flyer here. I decided to try out my luck on writing a Prince of Tennis story. Yes, it's my first one, but don't switch away just yet. I want to try my luck on it. Review; also give me some good ideas about other chapters.

I don't own Prince of Tennis

Chapter 1: Second Chances

_**Ash…**_

_**Fire…**_

_**Everything broken…**_

_**Nothing remains…**_

_**Alive.**_

Sayuri and Reira Echizen glanced around the room unemotionally. White walls, large windows, and two beds with dressers next to each of them. The dressers were made of White Ash trees and retained a grey-white color. The two beds had simple sheets, blankets, and pillows, all in black. Sayuri and Reira exchanged glances and then chose their beds, Sayuri on the left, Reira on the right. Sayuri sighed and said "I guess this…this is home now." Reira glared at Sayuri and exclaimed "NO! Sayuri, no matter how long we stay here, we will only be intruders. Just like dad. Besides, did you forget why this color is the color it is?" clutching the sheets of the bed in one hand "This! This is the reason we are here! Mom _died_…and it's because of _us_." Sayuri sighed and said "I know, Reira. I know." Sayuri glanced out the window and said "It's late. We should go to bed. I'll even sing the song mom made up." Reira nodded and then shimmied under her covers. Sayuri inhaled and sang softly

_**You and me**_

_**Together we**_

_**Will survive.**_

_**Through rain or snow**_

_**Hail or storm**_

_**We will survive.**_

_**Even when one of us is gone**_

_**They still live within us**_

_**Just within us.**_

_**E'en though death **_

_**Separates us**_

_**We will always**_

_**Always survive**_

_**No matter**_

_**What may come**_

_**We will survive**_

_**Together forever.**_

Sayuri glanced at Reira and smiled softly when she saw her sleeping, one tear glittering on her eyelash. Sayuri stood up and walked over to her. With a whispered "Good night, Rei-chan." Sayuri wiped away the tear and then walked back to her bed and fell asleep.

Well, how did I do? Please tell me what you thought of it. (hiding in tree) I'm not coming down until you guys tell me how I did!

I might continue this and I might not. I don't know so how about giving me your thoughts.

I'm also trying to decide what the pairings should be…

I'm thinking: Reira with Fuji

And

Sayuri with Tezuka.

Tell me what you think

See ya!

Next chapter:

School

_Coming soon!_


	2. Chapter 2 : School

(Still in tree.)

Here's the next chapter.

Please review. Criticism is allowed.

It'll help me get better.

Chapter 2: School

_**Smoke…**_

_**Heat…**_

_**Stifling…**_

_**Can't breathe…**_

_**Everything's fading…**_

_**Help me…**_

_**Help me…**_

_**HELP ME!**_

Sayuri's emerald-gold eyes opened just as her alarm clock went off. She sighed '_Mornings are the worst.'_ Sayuri sat up and pulled the rope hanging next to her bed. The string ran along the top of the room and came down attached to a small blow horn located next to Reira's ear. A similar device ran from Reira's bed to Sayuri's own bed. The blow horn blared, waking up everyone in the house still asleep. Reira's sapphire-gold eyes popped open and sent a glare arrowing directly to Sayuri. Sayuri smiled and said "Time to get up, Reira." A small "mew" came from the foot of Sayuri's bed and she glanced down to see her blue seal point kitten, Kanha, getting ready to pounce at her moving fingers. Sayuri smiled gently and nabbed the kitten just as she pounced. She cuddled the kitten close to her chest as she buried her face into the soft fur. The kitten purred happily as Sayuri stroked over the little ears with the unusually placed long ear tufts at the tips of the ears. Sayuri and Reira glanced up as they heard their father, Nanjiro Echizen call to them. Sayuri called back "We're up!" Sayuri and Reira calmly got out of bed and dressed in their new uniforms. Sayuri and Reira pounded down the stairs and leaped at their food (figuratively) and swallowed it whole. (also figurative) They then grabbed their bento boxes and called out "Bye, see ya later." They rushed outside and raced to the bus stop, arriving just as the bus pulled up. Sayuri popped in her ear buds and pushed 'play' on her iPod and all other sounds faded away.

_**~time skip~**_

The bus doors opened and Reira and Sayuri hopped out and started hunting for the office. After they got their classes, they headed off for their classes, Reira in class 2-A and Sayuri in class 3-A. On the second floor, Reira accidently dropped her earring piece and waved away Sayuri when she stopped to help, saying "Go on ahead to your class. I'll find it and then go to my class." Sayuri frowned and then said "Okay, but be careful." Sayuri departed and Reira continued searching frantically for the earring piece. Unbeknownst to her, cerulean eyes watched her from a shadow nearby. Reira smiled happily suddenly as she held up the earring piece in her hand. "Found it!" she crowed happily as she hastily connected it to the simple tennis ball earring in her right ear. A voice from right next to her asked "Are you all right?" Reira froze and then glanced up.

Well? How is it?

Still hiding here.

Please review and tell me what you think and whether I should continue this.

See ya.

Next chapter:

Tennis Team

_Coming soon!_


	3. Chapter 3: Tennis Team

Sorry for not updating for so long, but i am sleepy…so sleepy. They _might_ play tennis in this chapter, but I'm not sure yet. Gimme some credit, It's 4:12 and I haven't slept at all. Oh yeah, just to be clear. Reira likes to have her eyes closed, same as Fuji. Just making that clear now.

I don't own prince of tennis (this will be the only disclaimer because it's annoying as heck to keep on writing them.)

Chapter 3: Tennis Team.

_**Blood…**_

_**Death…**_

_**Fear…**_

_**Save me…**_

_**Save me…**_

_**SAVE ME!**_

_Recap_

_Reira smiled happily suddenly as she held up the earring piece in her hand. "Found it!" she crowed happily as she hastily connected it to the simple tennis ball earring in her right ear. A voice from right next to her asked "Are you all right?" Reira froze and then glanced up._

Reira looked up to see a smiling male with honey-brown hair that was a tad long for males. Reira blushed and leaped up, embarrassed at being caught crawling around on the ground. She bowed and said "H-Hai, Gomen…" The boy's smile stretched even wider, _'is that even possible?'_ and he said "Fuji Syusuke, class 2-A." Reira said "Gomen Fuji-san. My name is Echizen Reira, also class 2-A." Reira opened her eyes again and then glanced around as she frowned. '_Now where _is _class 2-A?'_ Fuji grinned and said "Class 2-A is over there." pointing to a classroom to the left. Reira flushed and stuttered "I-I knew that. I-I was just collecting myself." Fuji shrugged and walked into the classroom. Reira sighed and followed. Inside, she saw a lot of students chattering and goofing off. She glanced around and saw Fuji talking with a red-haired cat like boy and a boy with a bowl haircut with two little bangs going down his forehead. Suddenly, behind her, she heard the door close and she glanced behind her to see the sensei standing by the door. The teacher announced "Class, we have a new student." Reira hastily bowed and said "Echizen Reira, Yoroshiku." The sensei frowned and then said "You can have the window seat next to Fuji." Reira bowed and quickly walked to her desk and sat down. Next to her, Fuji whispered "Hello again, Echizen-san. Those are nice earrings." Reira nodded and whispered "I wear them because I love tennis. I rate myself as a three on the good player scale while my sister is around a nine. She can almost play equally against our dad." Fuji smiled and asked "Who is your sister?" Reira opened her mouth and heard "Echizen, please read the sentence on the board aloud. Reira glanced at the sentence and then stood up. "Hai, sensei." She calmly read the sentence on the board aloud and then sat back down. Fuji glanced at her with his closed-eyes expression, but she just stoically stared ahead, only peeking over every once in a while. Later, beginning of lunch break, Fuji approached her and asked "Do you wish to join me and my friends on the roof?" Reira glanced at him with a small frown and said "Well…" Fuji added "We usually talk about tennis the entire time." Reira's frown disappeared and was replaced with a gentle smile. She said "Hai."

On the roof, Fuji settled down next to the red haired cat boy, Eiji, and the bowl cut kid, Oishi. Reira nervously sat next to Taka, a quiet boy, and opened her bento box. Her face blanched, a fact Fuji noticed, before she snickered softly. Fuji asked "Something funny, Echizen-san?" Reira glanced over at Fuji and said "I grabbed the wrong box. This is my sister's. She is the only one who eats so much fruit. Mine is usually vegetables." Reira's eyes opened and she glanced into Fuji's bento box. Her eyes widened and suddenly, she swiped a piece of sushi he had and popped it into her mouth. Taka froze and then said "Echizen-san, that's loaded with wasabi."

Reira glanced over at Taka and said "Actually, I think it needs more wasabi in it. It's not spicy enough." Taka, Eiji, and Oishi sweatdropped as Fuji asked, curiously "Do you like wasabi?" Reira opened her mouth to answer and suddenly the roof door opened. Tezuka, Momo, Inui, and Kaido all walked out, followed by Reira's sister, Sayuri. Momo called out "Hey guys! This is-" Reira leaped up and marched over to Reira, ignoring the stares and said "You have the wrong bento."

Sayuri frowned and then checked her lunch. With an exclamation of disgust, she handed it over to Reira. "Ugh, vegetables, I would rather have my fruits. Plus you always load your stuff down with that wasabi." Reira stiffened as she felt a hand on her shoulder and she acted purely by instinct. She twisted, left hand flying out and grabbing the person's shoulder as her left knee bent and then she hurled the person over her and slammed it into the ground. Her eyes had dimmed as soon as she started and now they gleamed again as she recognized the face of her 'attacker'. She instantly leaped away as Taka blinked, stunned. Reira's face went bright red as she said repeatedly "Gomen Taka-san, Gomen."

Fuji asked "Echizen-san? Is this your sister?" Reira bowed and said "Yes." Sayuri glanced at Fuji and said "Echizen Sayuri, Yoroshiku." Fuji smiled and asked "Where did you learn to fight like that, Reira?" Reira smiled sheepishly and said "I, um, took self-defense classes and trained daily while playing tennis. Nee-chan fights better than me as well as play better than me too." Momo said "Wait, you mean you two play tennis?"

RING, RING

Reira and Sayuri breathed a sigh of relief as they were saved by the bell. Reira and Sayuri exchanged glances and then headed off to their classes, not noticing Inui watching them with an open notebook out.

_~time skip, After school~_

Reira and Sayuri walked out of the school with sighs of relief. Reira glanced at Sayuri and said "Thank goodness that we managed to get out of that without them finding out about _that_."

Sayuri frowned and said "Reira, we still have to go to the tennis courts. We are actually signing up and we have the note from the tennis association that we got the principal to sign and that means that we can play on the boys' team.

Reira sighed and stiffened as a sudden thought occurred to her. "Sayuri…you _did_ take your meds today…didn't you?" Sayuri smiled bitterly and nodded silently as they walked over to the tennis courts. Sayuri approached the coach, an old lady named Ryuzaki, and handed her the letter from the Tennis Association.

Ryuzaki perused it and then glanced up at them before saying "All right, let's go talk to Tezuka. He's the buchou of the boy's team."

Ryuzaki turned and motioned for one of the boys that had been on the roof, a brunet with unruly hair and wearing glasses. He walked over and asked "How can I help you, Coach?" Ryuzaki motioned toward Sayuri and Reira and said "These girls will be joining the tennis team _regulars_, these two have permission. The team also has permission to bypass the number limit for the regulars as well. You just have to choose two reserves instead of just one. These two won't mind getting pulled out every now and then."

Tezuka frowned and said "Very well, but I want to gauge their levels now. We can start off with Sayuri going against…Momo, and Reira can go against Kaido." Tezuka turned and called the regulars over.

"Listen up. This is Sayuri and Reira. They will be joining the regulars. Yes, it will take us over the number limit but we've received permission. We have to gauge their levels so Momo, you're up against Sayuri and Kaido, you're up against Reira."

Reira turned to Kaido and smiled, just a touch sadistically. "Let's have a good match, Kaido." Kaido looked at her smile, akin to Fuji's, and shuddered before walking onto one of the empty courts. Reira grabbed her sapphire blue tennis racquet with emerald green markings and asked "Rough or smooth?" Kaido glanced warily at her and said "Rough." Reira spun her racquet and waited. When it clattered to the ground, Reira looked up and said "It's smooth, sorry. I'll serve." Reira went to the serving line and bounced the ball onto the ground.

_Pok. Pok. Pok._

Reira lightly tossed the ball into the air and then leaped up and served it to Kaido. Kaido judged where it would go and got into position. Reira smiled slightly and said "Sylph serve." just as the ball hit the court and then vanished. Kaido glanced around and then heard the soft sound of the ball landing on the ground. He glanced behind him and saw the ball sitting on one of the lines, like it had never been served. He glanced at Reira, who smiled, fully sadistically, and said "You never had a chance with it."

Off to the side, Fuji's eyes were open and focused on Reira as he asked "Eiji, did you see the path that the ball took?" Eiji said, ever cheerful, "Of course. It bounced up into the air and then swerved around Kaido before landing dead on the line." Fuji smiled. _Interesting._

Well, that's it for this time. Some of you are glaring, aren't you? Well, I'm not posting another until I have at least one review.

Yes, I know that Reira is like Fuji with her personality and yes, she is also a sadist, and no, I don't care if you don't like that because it's my character. And yes, Reira also has counters, although, she's already up to twenty. If I feel like it I might actually show them to you. Now, it's 7:37 in the morning and I'm going to bed. If you have any ideas, thoughts, stuff like that, then review.

See ya

Next chapter:

Counters against snakes

_Coming soon!_


	4. Chapter 4: Counters againsts Snakes

Yes I know that I left you hanging last time and no, I'm not sorry, but just to be nice, I'll hurry up and get to the story. Read and review. And hey, don't go yelling at me because i am posting this a day after i put chapter 3 up, and who knows, i might put up chapter 5 later today...it all depends...mehehehe.

Chapter 4: Counters against Snakes

_**Agony…**_

_**Too much…**_

_**Can't take it…**_

_**Help me…**_

_**Sayuri…**_

_**Sayuri…**_

_**Sayuri!**_

_Last time…_

_Reira smiled slightly and said "Sylph serve." just as the ball hit the court and then vanished… Off to the side, Fuji's eyes were open and focused on Reira as he asked "Eiji, did you see the path that the ball took?" Eiji said, ever cheerful, "Of course. It bounced up into the air and then swerved around Kaido before landing dead on the line." Fuji smiled._ _Interesting._

"15-Love"

Reira tossed the tennis ball up into the air. Kaido hissed just as Reira jumped into the air. Reira smiled and hit the ball with her racquet. The ball winged its way toward Kaido just as he crouched, racquet ready. He swung his racquet, connecting with the ball and it flew in a curve so that it passed Reira's racquet and landed in the court before going out of the court.

"15-all"

Reira looked at Kaido and said clearly "Thanks for that. It won't get through again." Reira tossed the tennis ball into the air and then hit it, subtly putting spin on the ball. She said "First counter." The ball hit the ground and then flew up into the air and swirled around for a moment before landing just next to the net. "Wind swoop."

Kaido looked at the ball and then glanced a Tezuka as if to say _Why did you stick me with a sadist that has counters of her own?_ Reira sighed and said "That was…slow."

"20-15"

Reira smiled sadistically and asked "Would you like to see them all? I have about 20 so far, but I'm working on 21." Kaido hissed and Reira laughed softly. "I'll take that as a 'no'." Reira tossed up the ball and served again.

~time skip~

"Match point."

Reira glanced over at Kaido and asked "Would you like to see another counter?" Kaido hissed and Reira raised one eyebrow. "Is that all you can say, Snake-boy?" Ignoring Kaido's outraged answer, Reira tossed the ball into the air and leaped up after it.

"Second counter."

Reira slammed her racquet into the ball, putting subtle spin on it, and the ball arrowed toward the ground. The ball impacted with a puff of dust as Reira landed lightly on her toes. When the dust cleared, the ball sat in a small crater with cracks streaking out from it.

"Howl of Cerberus."

Match set and won, Echizen. 6 games to love."

Every eye shifted to Reira as she lightly bowed to Kaido and said "It's my win." Ryuzaki chuckled evilly. "She will be a very good addition to our team."

Tezuka glanced at her and then said "Momo, Sayuri. You're up."

Sayuri looked at Momo and said "If you forfeit now, then you will at least retain a measure of dignity. Otherwise…" Momo shivered at the subtle hint in her tone and said "No way! I'm playing." Sayuri tossed up the ball and shot an ace right on the line. Momo glanced at her and said "You've got to be kidding."

~time skip~

" Match point."

Sayuri coughed into her hand and grimaced. "One moment, please" Sayuri turned to Reira, who handed her two silver-blue pills, and gulped them down dry. She thanked Reira and then turned back to Momo. "Hey Momo, you saw what my sister could do. Would you like me to show you one of _my_ moves?" Without waiting for an answer, Sayuri served and let Momo return it. She went in for the shot and when she hit it she said "Slice back shot." The shot went just slightly over the net and landed on the ground before powering back to Sayuri's hand. Momo just stared at it, panting heavily as he realized that she wasn't even breathing hard.

Sayuri looked at him and said "For the record, Reira was playing with her **bad** hand, not her dominant. Then again, so was I." The courts were silent for a moment and then…

"Uwahhhhhhh? They're Southpaws?"

Reira sighed and asked "Did you have to give away the entertainment so quickly? I was having **fun**."

Sayuri looked at her watch and said "Reira, time to go home." Reira turned and waved cheerily back at Ryuzaki and said "See you tomorrow." Then she turned and walked gracefully out the gate and headed for the front of the school. Sayuri followed close behind.

~On the way home~

"Hey, Sayuri, you're sure you are okay?" Sayuri glanced over at Reira and smiled slightly. "Do not worry, Rei-chan." Reira shrugged and skipped into the house. Sayuri glanced at her palm and mentally cursed. She lowered it and entered the house. Behind her, unbeknownst to both Reira and Sayuri, someone nearly gagged at the sight of Sayuri's palm. He knew that the sight of it would haunt him for a long time to come.

Awwwww. I just totally cut you guys off at the best part. As to what happened to Sayuri, don't worry. You'll find out about it in a later chapter. Remember, I'm still open for pairings and suggestions on whether the pairings that I'm thinking of are good. Remember the pairing thoughts were:

Reira and Fuji

And

Sayuri and Tezuka

I can always switch them up to different people. I could pair Sayuri with Tezuka, Sanada, Atobe, Tachibana, Yukimura, etc. I could pair Reira with Fuji, Yukimura, Yanagi, Akaya, Atobe, etc. Just tell me what you think.

Review!

Next chapter:

Joining the Team

_Coming soon!_


	5. Chapter 5: Joining the team

Yes, I'm back. How is everyone, huh? Life treating you good? No thoughts on murdering defenseless little authors who decide to cut you off in a good part?

Sorry, I'm being impertinent again aren't I?

Anyway, any suggestions on pairings? Come on, you going to leave me hanging?

If you don't have any suggestions, then I'll put my evil little mind to work and do something no one expects. Maybe I'll kill Reira like I killed her mom…or maybe I'll have one of them get raped. How would that make you feel? Then again, if that happened, some people in the story just _might_ get a bit…territorial. Just a thought.

Thoughts: _Raararara_

Flashback: _**Raararara**_

Read and Review!

Chapter 5: Joining the Team

_**Darkness…**_

_**Tightening its grip…**_

_**Choking me…**_

_**Killing me…**_

_**I'm…**_

_**Fading…**_

_**Fading…**_

_**Fading…**_

**~Next day~**

"Reira! Sayuri!" Sayuri opened her eyes to see Reira holding out her bottle of pills. She looked at Reira and then groaned. Reira said "Today's your checkup. Good luck. I'll tell Ryuzaki that you will be at school tomorrow." Reira turned and walked out, leaving Sayuri sitting in her bed, pill bottle in hand.

'_How did it come to this…'_

'_**The smell of burning wood reached Sayuri's nose as she ran home from practice that day. Sayuri looked over through the tree line and saw what she dreaded to see.**_

_**Fire…Fire everywhere.**_

_**Sayuri gasped and then raced for the house, dropping her bags on the ground. She raced through the crowd gathered around, shouting for her sister and mother. The fire flared slightly and Sayuri broke away from the crowd and plunged into the open doorway.**_

Sayuri's eyes shot open and she shot up from her reclined position in the car, coughing. Small tears leaked from her eyes as she desperately tried not to remember.

_**Fire**_

_**Death**_

"_**REIRAAAAAA!"**_

Sayuri gasped in a breath, fighting to breathe, as she continued coughing. She heard the driver side door open and then a cool hand gripped the hand that was covering her mouth. Then a voice said "Here. Put this over your mouth and sit tight until we get to the hospital." Sayuri managed to catch a glimpse of what her hand held.

A red square of cotton.

She held it over her mouth and glanced blearily at the driver.

Her father, Nanjiro.

He glanced over and asked "You all right?" Sayuri nodded, still coughing. He asked "What happened? Did you…" Sayuri hesitated and then nodded slowly. He blew out a breath and said "I did offer to send you to a therapist." Sayuri coughed again and then whispered hoarsely "I know. I refused. It…it wouldn't…help me." Nanjiro sighed and then focused on the road. Sayuri whispered under her breath "Not now…"

**~outside the hospital~**

Nanjiro parked the car and asked "Can you walk to the door or do you need me to get some nurses to help you?" Sayuri glared at Nanjiro and whispered "Oh stow it. I can walk." Sayuri shakily got out of the car and stumbled over to the door, cloth still covering her mouth. Nanjiro opened the door and helped her to a seat before hurrying over to the main desk and started to talk to the nurse behind the desk as Sayuri leaned back into the seat. She closed her eyes and spiraled into darkness.

_**Smoke everywhere. Flames spewing from the kitchen doorway. Sayuri looked toward the stairs and then lurched toward them as she heard a weak voice upstairs. She took the stairs two at a time and then stumbled and fell badly, accidently landing on a twisted piece of wood that jutted out of a broken piece of railing. Sayuri cried out in pain before grtting her teeth and—**_

"…uri. Sayuri."

Sayuri opened her eyes to see a nurse standing next to her seat, gently shaking her. She shook her head and murmured "I'm coming." The nurse led her to an operating room and told her to sit down. Sayuri complied, grimacing at the faint pain of an old injury. The nurse checked her over and then nodded and said "You're doing well, considering the wound. It is not yet infected, but there _is_ still a chance for it. May I see the injury?" Sayuri lifted her shirt, revealing her tank top, ending just above the third rib.

A large gashing scar stretched from where her left lung was to her right hip. The skin around the scar looked stretched and red. The nurse felt around it lightly and said "You're doing fine in way of healing. It's the _other_ thing that concerns me. The doctor agreed that you should probably spend some time here soon, to let us get a better fixture on your injury." Sayuri looked around and said "I have some time now, but not for an overnight visit." The nurse shrugged and said "It's a start."

**~end of hospital visit~**

Sayuri walked around the hospital, looking into rooms and nodding to occupants. In one room, she heard a huge noise. She sighed and froze as she heard the door open. Out stumbled a boy with curly black hair, looking like he was in middle school. He looked around and then his eyes rested on her

"Hey, who the hell are you?"

Ah yes, I'm totally cruel to you guys. Hey be lucky, I actually let you glimpse a bit of her past. I imagine you guys are trying to figure out why she was coughing. Well, that might come up in the next chapter…might.

Aw well, sorry for the cliffy…not.

I'll try to post another one soon.

Ta-ta.

Next chapter:

Fire singed, haunted pasts

_Coming soon!_


	6. Petition

Greetings to the fine folk that moderate our site.

Myself, along with many, have been writing and posting on your fine site for years now, some of the better examples of up and coming writers out there are now suddenly finding some of the stories we've come to love at risk of being removed without the chance to even rectify our errors.

For some, that means the permanent loss of a story. While I don't have anything that I believe violates your terms of use, there are those out there that are never able to recover a story in its original form, this is something I find to be almost worthy of a legal action, as while we cannot claim ownership of a character, the stories are OURS and simply destroying them is something that is inexcusable.

It's quite easy to simply add an MA rating, additional filters or even a simple requirement for a free membership to read the stories presented here, and would cut down on hateful anonymous reviews and posts at the same time, so I have to question as to why such a thing, in all this time, simply wasn't added.

If you're worried about falsification of a registration then have an appropriate disclaimer and then there can be no dispute, you took your steps and the PARENTS didn't monitor their children, if that is even your concern. If it is more of a personal view or desire then please at least let people know and give them a chance to remove a story that you and yours find offensive, most people on the site are actually rather cordial when it comes to such requests.

While I cannot say for sure if this letter will even reach those that may be willing to listen, of if it's more akin to a wide spectrum purge in preparation for something bigger, please understand that you are going to be looseing a LARGE number of your writers, and thus your income from a lack of readers if there is not some level of action taken to help with this situation.

For those that may agree with this, please feel free to sign on and send this to the support server, maybe we can get some movement on this.

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Silver Flyer


	7. Chapter 6 : Fire singed, haunted pasts

Hey guys, I'm back! Didja miss me?!

Well, this is chapter six. Shall I share the entire story of what happened to Sayuri or should I just continue to give little flashes?

By the way, yes Sayuri probably should have died because of that wound but she didn't…or maybe she is about to die because of the coughing thing.

Oh well, don't know yet…

Here ya go

Read and review

Thoughts: _Raararara_

Flashback: _**Raararara**_

Chapter 6: Fire singed, haunted pasts

_**Numbness…**_

_**Taking over…**_

_**Where are you…**_

_**Help me…**_

_**You promised…**_

_**You…promised…**_

_**Sayuri…**_

_**Sayuri…**_

_**Sayuri!**_

_**You promised Sayuri!**_

_**You promised!**_

_~Last time~_

"_Hey, who the hell are you?"_

Sayuri stood frozen as the boy continued to glare at her while waiting for her answer. He glared again and asked "Who are you?"

Sayuri stayed frozen and then flinched as the door opened again and a whole group came out.

The one in the hat asked "Akaya, what is going on?" Akaya nearly growled "She won't tell me who she is." A closed eyes boy said "Perhaps you frightened her." A pink-auburn haired male said "Or maybe she doesn't want to tell you." A boy wearing glasses went next "Perhaps we should just be quiet and allow her to speak." A silverish blue haired boy spoke next "Perhaps we should introduce ourselves. I'm Niou, and my tennis partner is Yagyuu." The glasses person waved. "Then Kirihara is the one who you first met." The curly black haired person glared. "Then there is Sanada." The hat person nodded slightly "Then there's Yanagi." The closed eyes person turned to look at her. "Marui is the one with the pink-auburn hair." He waved slightly. "Then there is Jackal" A dark skinned boy with purple grey eyes grinned and waved slightly "Am I missing anyone…" out of the room they just left came a voice "You forgot me…" Niou gasped and said "Sorry Buchou. Our buchou is in there. His name is Yukimura. He has Guillain Barre Syndrome." Sayuri asked quietly "Isn't that when you become paralyzed. Why not just cure it?"

Kirihara growled and said "We can't!" Sayuri frowned and asked "Why not just—" and here Sayuri got really technical (I can't do medical explanations but I can give you this. Sayuri technically has already graduated from school. Homeschooling puts her way ahead.) and Kirihara frowned because he couldn't follow it. Marui shook his head and asked "What?" A nurse came up behind Sayuri and said "We didn't think that that would work, but the way you explained it would make people believe it actually could work. Will you help us with the operation?" Sayuri frowned and said "I'm just here for my checkup, sorry." Niou frowned and asked "Checkup?" Sayuri instantly clamped up and said to the nurse "I am truly sorry, but I must be leaving. However, you can always look up the papers to do the operation." Sayuri turned and walked away from the group, silently cursing them for asking that one question.

_**Sayuri cried out in pain before gritting her teeth and slowly pulled away from it. In its place was a great gaping wound, stretching from where her left lung was to her right hip. It was gushing out blood and Sayuri was struck with a wave of dizziness. She shook her head and weakly called out "Reira! Where are you?!" She heard a weak reply and she stumbled over to where it came from. She heaved a piece of wood away and there was Reira, lying on the ground with small wounds all over her. Sayuri crouched next to her and asked "Reira, where's mom?" Reira coughed and whispered "She was caught in the blast. She's dead." Reira looked at Sayuri then and her eyes widened when she saw her wound "Sayuri!" Sayuri blinked slowly, her eyes not wanting to reopen. Her vision blurred as she heard distantly "No Sayuri. Stay with me. Stay with me. You can't leave, you can't. you promised we would be together forever. You promised, Sayuri." Sayuri frowned and opened her eyes. She shook her head and whispered "I'm still here. Come on. We…have to…get out" Sayuri and Reira stumbled down the stairs, passing the bloodstained piece of wood. Reira supported Sayuri as they lurched out the door.**_

Sayuri opened her eyes and her left hand unconsciously pressed against the throbbing scar. The door to the room opened and Sayuri glanced up to see Reira looking at where her left hand was and then she frowned. "Sayuri, how did it go?" Sayuri sighed and said "The scar is healing. It's the coughing they don't like. They're worried that the piece of wood may have injured my lung. If the coughing gets worse, then they want me to get it thoroughly checked out." Reira frowned and said "Well, Ryuzaki wants you there tomorrow." Sayuri nodded and then curled up on the bed and closed her eyes.

_**Sayuri opened her eyes to see a white ceiling. She looked around to see an IV drip and a machine that was keeping track of her heartbeats. She frowned and whispered "Reira?" A voice sounded from nearby "Your sister was not as badly injured as you were. She is fine. You, however, are very lucky to be alive right now. You could have died from your wound, yet your will is very strong. You will heal…for now. But I cannot guarantee that you will stay healed. For now, sleep and heal." Sayuri glanced at the speaker to see a doctor leaving after checking the machines. Sayuri whispered again "Reira…"**_

~Next day~

"Sayuri, get up." Sayuri blinked open her eyes to see Reira looking down at her. "No." Sayuri tugged the covers up over her head and closed her eyes again.

~5 minutes later~

Reira glanced over at Sayuri, knowing she would see a glare that could have gang members cowering, and sighed. "I did say I was sorry." Sayuri closed her eyes after Reira reminded her of the 'apology' and said "If you hadn't dumped a thing of water on me, then you wouldn't have had to apologize." Reira smiled sadistically and said "But then you would have been late to school."

Sayuri muttered under her breath as they separated to go to their different classes

Yea, I cut you off again. It took me a while to be able to type this story. Next chapter I'll probably just have then go directly to tennis practice.

Oh yeah, are you guys happy about knowing her past?

Or correction, a bit of her past.

Didn't I mention that Reira and Sayuri are…

Na, never mind. Maybe next chapter I'll tell you that.

Please read and Review. It helps.

By the way, please read some of my other stories. I'm losing confidence in myself.

I need reassurance.

Ciao~~

Silver Flyer


	8. Chapter 7: Unexpected Visitors

Yo, what up!

Okay, that was bad.

Sorry 'bout that.

Anyhow, those that have continued to follow my stories, thank you. Those who decided to start the story on chapter…7…welcome. It would probably be best for you to go back to the beginning but, I'm not judging you.

I decided to make all of you whack out and I'm gonna bring in two more people…maybe three. And yes, at least one of them will be related to Sayuri and Reira.

Please read and review

Thoughts: _Raararara_

Flashback: _**Raararara**_

Chapter 7: 'Unexpected visitors.'

'_**Here lies Anya Echizen.'**_

'_**A beloved Mother and Wife'**_

'_**she will be missed'**_

_**A large group of black clad people stood around a tombstone crafted into the figure of a female tennis player.**_

_**Off to the side stood Sayuri and Reira. Their faces reflected their strong will as a light sheen of tears clouded one of Reira's eyes. Sayuri whispered softly "Farewell, Mother."**_

_**Reira blinked slowly and then turned away. Sayuri glanced over to where her father stood next to another male.**_

"_**Father, I'm going back to the vehicle with Reira. Will you two hurry up so we can leave."**_

_**Nanjiro sighed and clapped the male's back. **_

"_**Come on, Ryoga. Sayuri and Reira want to go. We'll probably head to Japan. Will you come along once the American Open is over?"**_

_**The male grinned crookedly, golden eyes glinting, and said**_

"_**Most likely. Although I can't exactly go to Seishun Gakuen. I'll probably go to Seishun Makuen. That's the school after yours, 'kay. I'll probably give you two rides home when I start."**_

_**Sayuri nodded and went to the car with Reira.**_

_**Ryoga watched them go, sadness reflected in his eyes.**_

"_**Hey, dad. What's your estimate on her wound? Will she be well enough for playing at her old level again? This year would have been her fifth Calendar Grand Slam. And when both she and Reira do doubles…wow. Millions of people would come to see them play, both separate and together."**_

_**Nanjiro sighed and he said**_

"_**I don't know, but for now, it's best for them to disappear."**_

"_**Maybe never to return."**_

**~Tennis practice~**

Ryuzaki stood next to the fence, glancing around for two specific people. Namely Reira and Sayuri. When she saw them exiting the locker rooms, she waved them over.

"Sayuri, we did doubles practice yesterday. Since you weren't here, Reira didn't do them either. I'm going to pair you two up against…Eiji and Oishi. Good luck."

Sayuri and Reira walked over to one side of the court as Eiji and Oishi walked to the other. The rest of the regulars lined up outside the wire fence. Fuji asked, grinning slightly

"Who do you think will in?"

"Golden pair"

"Golden pair"

"Golden pair"

"Fsuuuu. Sayuri and Reira."

Fuji and the rest of them stared at Kaido.

He glared back at them before turning to watch the match.

Sayuri called their attention back to the game by asking

"I've heard you two referenced as the 'Golden Pair', correct?"

At Oishi's nod, Reira grinned sadistically

"Too bad for you two. Ready Sayuri?"

Sayuri moved to stand in the backcourt and said

"Ready. My serve."

Sayuri struck the ground with the ball.

_Pok. Pok. Pok._

Sayuri snatched the ball from its arch and tossed it up into the air before bringing the racquet forward, twisting her body smoothly. She felt a moment's pain before her racquet made contact with the ball and she twisted it slightly. It flew over to the other side…and hit the ground before rocketing straight into the air. It landed directly on the white line and bounced up against the wall. Oishi and Eiji blinked at it as Sayuri quietly said

"Nagai Serve."

The rest of the regulars stared at her as clapping sounded near the complex. Sayuri and Reira, not to mention the rest of then, turned to look.

"Been a while since I saw you use your 'Nagai Serve' Sayuri. I don't think you've used it since you were around…nine, ten, maybe. It was around you second Calendar Grand Slam, that's for sure."

Sayuri unfroze as those words pierced her shocked brain. She glared at the speaker and his companions

"Ryoga! What's the matter, lose a game? Come here to remind me of the past? Dredging up old memories that just might, just _might_ be painful for some people!?" Reira placed a calming hand on Sayuri's shoulder and said cheerfully

"Hey, Ryoga. Hey Svara, is Synna here too?"

A soft spoken voice laughed and said

"I'm over here, Reira. It's nice to see that the 'Tensai Pair' hasn't lost its competitiveness in the years that they've been hiding out of sight. Then again, you're both lethal in singles too. You, Reira, with your unique style of acrobatic counter tennis, and Sayuri with her backcourt Nagai Serve and also her forecourt 'hunting' techniques. Both styles made by you guys alone and also what qualified you guys to make 'pro' at early ages. So Sayuri, How's the old injury?"

Sayuri glared at the newcomer and said icily " Fuji Synna. Your impudence knows no bounds…as usual. The injury is healing well, and only a slight risk of lung injury. And now, if its not too much to answer, why are you and my elder brother and sister doing here?"

Synna, Svara, and Ryoga grinned before Ryoga said

"It's time for you guys to come back."

Okay yea I admit. Suffering from writer's block is not fun. But I finally managed to get this out.

Anyone surprised? I gave Fuji a sister, and Reira and Sayuri both a brother and a sister.

Reira- Why the heck are _they_ here?!

Svara- Awww. Poor little Rei-chan.

Sayuri- shut up, both of you or else.

SF- STOW IT!

See ya next time!

Chapter 8: Secrets revealed

_Coming soon!_


	9. Chapter 8 :Secrets Revealed

Yes, I'm back. With a killer headache and aching legs thanks to Cross Country. After that finishes, I get to go straight into swimming. Woopee.

Oh well, I'm just complaining.

Special thanks to anyone who has reviewed over the chapters. And since I have gotten a few requests for it, Ryoma is making his appearance.

Here ya go.

R and R

Thanks.

Thoughts: _Raararara_

Flashback: _**Raararara**_

Chapter 8: Secrets revealed

_**Sayuri and Reira laughed as their little brother glared (pouted) at them again.**_

"_**How come you keep winning?! I try and I try, but still, you win!"**_

_**Sayuri smiled and said**_

"_**Don't worry about it, Ryoma. If you keep trying, then you'll win, one day. Until then, keep trying."**_

_**Ryoma Echizen glared again and then stormed off toward the courts in the distance.**_

_**Sayuri and Reira grinned and called out **_

"_**See ya Tomorrow, Ryo-chan!"**_

_**Ryoma cast one final glare at them and walked out of sight.**_

_**Recap**_

_Synna, Svara, and Ryoga grinned before Ryoga said_

"_It's time for you guys to come back."_

Sayuri glared at them and said firmly

"No way."

Ryoga visibly wilted

"Why? Are we not fun to play against? Don't you miss your family?"

Sayuri sighed and said

"I have oyaji here. Why would I want to go back to America and have to deal with the press 24/7?"

Svara coughed nervously and said

"There _is_ someone else here besides us…and he's anxious for a rematch…again."

Reira glanced at Svara and asked

"Heh…do you mean-?"

Sayuri jerked once and then stared at Svara in shock.

She opened her mouth and said

"Nanako-san's going to annoy him to death by enrolling him here."

Ryoga grinned and said

"You read her mind. He's in the Main Office as we speak."

Sayuri sighed. Her left hand wandering unconsciously up to massage her aching neck muscles. She looked up at the building and said

"What class?"

Synna smiled (a smile akin to Fuji) and said

"She put him as a second year with a few third year classes."

Sayuri snorted and said

"He'll love that. He'll probably be snoozing in class and then doing our homework whenever he gets too bored."

Reira glanced at the regulars and said

"Hey Sayuri, I think you might want to bring the rest of the regulars up to speed…"

Sayuri glanced back and winced as she saw all the questioning glances thrown her way. She sighed and said

"Reira and me are a pro doubles pair and also pro singles players that disappeared from the circuits a few years ago with no explanation. Our doubles name is the 'Tensai Pair' because both Reira and I have been given the title 'Tensai' although that probably isn't important. Anyway, after our house burned down, along with our mother, and I became injured, we lived in Germany for a bit, trying to figure out if I would get better or not. After the doctors there said that I would live, albeit with some other details of which I will not go into, we came here to live with our cousin. Then we came to this school. You know the rest."

Sayuri turned away from the speechless, shocked, regulars and looked at the building again. She stared for a moment and the said

"Looks like we have a visitor, Reira. Complete with tennis apparel and everything."

Reira, and everyone else (regulars still slightly shocked), turned to see a…boy, judging by clothes alone, striding towards them. His hair was black-emerald and reached to around his shoulders, some of it reaching down to beneath his shoulder blades. His eyes were a piercing gold with some very light brown coloring mixed in, kinda like a cat's eyes. On his head was a white ball cap and one of his ears were pierced and was sporting a small gold loop earring. Attached to the earring was a small gold chain that then looped around his neck twice before linking back into the chain near where it stretched up to his earring. He was wearing a silver t-shirt and red shorts. On his shoulder hung a Yonex tennis bag and in his right hand was a pair of dark sunglasses. He glanced at the group as he came to a halt and then he said

"I want a rematch, Sayuri."

Sayuri raised an eyebrow before nodding silently. The boy turned on his heel and walked to the opposite court, where he pulled out his tennis gear.

Sayuri sighed again and said

"Please clear the court. It looks like Ryoma wants me to have a rematch."

Reira walked up to the regulars with a hose in her hand, turned on

(Where the heck did she get _that_?!)

She smiled and said

"Time to wake up~."

The spray nozzle was on full blast and, within seconds, soaked the regulars, uniforms and all. Momo, Kaido, Eiji, Taka, Inui, Fuji, and Tezuka jerked and then quickly got out of the way of the spray and off the court in the process.

Sayuri turned and examined her little brother. At 12 years he was kinda small. But his tennis ability was staggering, even if it was only a prototype of their father's. Sayuri picked up her racquet and walked to the service line. Reira quietly walked up to her and asked

"Are you able to play?"

Sayuri waved aside the question and assumed the ready position.

Reira frowned and walked over to where Fuji was standing. Fuji looked at her and noticed her worried expression. He leaned closer and asked

"What's the matter?"

Reira sighed and looked up at him, her closed eyes hiding her emotion and said

"If Sayuri's not prepared to walk the razor's edge of her 'Hunting Techniques' then she will lose this match. If she loses…"

Another voice broke in.

"If she loses, then she was never meant to fully master her tennis ability or master her inability to find friendship in others."

Fuji and Reira turned to look over and saw Ryoga, Svara, and Synna standing there, watching the two siblings on the court thoughtfully. Reira looked back at the court and said

"Here we go."

Fuji looked back to see Sayuri getting ready to serve.

_Pok. Pok. Pok_

Sayuri halted the ball, glanced at Ryoma, and tossed it into the air.

The ball whistled up into the air and then followed the flow of gravity and started downward. Sayuri leaped up to meet it, allowing her racquet to hit the ball solidly.

And the match began.

Yeah….that's a cutoff. Many of you are probably cursing me at the moment, but don't worry. I'm working on the next chapter now.

It might actually be longer than the rest, seeing as I'll probably go into detail about their game. Plus you'll probably even get to see some of Sayuri's 'Hunting Techniques'. Won't that be great?

Anyway, please read and review, otherwise I might 'forget' to post the next chapter anytime soon…

(Character Chat)

Sayuri- Why'd Ryoma have to come?

Ryoga- He insisted. Plus, if you manage to use your playing style, then you'll finally be the Sayuri I remember.

Sayuri- What do you mean?

Reira- Right now…

Synna- You are in…

Reira- a downcast mood.

Synna- So, to lighten you back out of this dismal mood…

Reira and Synna- Ryoma has to play you.

Sayuri- Mutter, mutter. B******

SF-BYE!(Locking Reira, Synna, Ryoga, and Sayuri in small closet to muffle the sound of fighting.) Be back…uh…(looks back at closet, where things have grown ominously silent) sometime…maybe.

_Next chapter: Sayuri and her Hunting Techniques vs. Ryoma_

_Coming…eventually_


	10. Chapter 9: Hunting Techniques vs Ryoma

Okay, you're all pretty mad about the last chapter aren't you. Well, to make it up to you, I'm going into detail about the match between Ryoma and Sayuri.

Enjoy.

R and R

Thanks.

Thoughts: _Raararara_

Flashback: _**Raararara**_

As usual.

Chapter 9: Sayuri and her Hunting Techniques vs. Ryoma

_Last time:_

_Reira looked back at the court and said_

"_Here we go."_

_Fuji looked back to see Sayuri getting ready to serve._

_Pok. Pok. Pok_

_Sayuri halted the ball, glanced at Ryoma, and tossed it into the air._

_The ball whistled up into the air and then followed the flow of gravity and started downward. Sayuri leaped up to meet it, allowing her racquet to hit the ball solidly._

_And the match began._

The ball sped from her racquet and Ryoma caught it on his racquet and sent it back. Sayuri gritted her teeth as she felt a familiar pain start where her scar was. She ignored it as she backhanded the ball back to Ryoma. He grinned and said

"You're slower than you were last time we played. Have you been doing your workouts lately?"

Sayuri's eyes widened minutely as she felt the difference in the spin of the ball. She frowned and negated the spin with her own spin. She grinned and said

"You forgot some things too. The 'zone' doesn't work on me. I can _feel_ the difference in the spin."

Ryoma smirked and said

"But you're still not playing fully."

He slammed the ball and it whizzed past Sayuri's left ear. She stood there, her eyes fixed on Ryoma. She turned and picked up the tennis ball from where it lay on the ground and returned to the service line. She tossed it into the air with a simple flick of her wrist before she sent it at Ryoma in a lob.

Ryoma leaped into the air and slammed it at Sayuri. Sayuri inhaled and…vanished. Ryoma jerked in midair as the ball appeared on his side, right at the edge. He glanced over at Sayuri and froze.

Sayuri was kneeling on the ground, left hand over the place where her scar was, and her right hand propping her up as she coughed uncontrollably. From the left corner of her mouth, Ryoma could see blood trickling down.

Reira tensed as she saw Sayuri kneeling and Fuji glanced at her worriedly. Ryoga winced and Svara bit her lip. Synna watched quietly before she said

"And that's why she left the pros. She can't truly play her way with the scar and the coughing. IF she can use her special style, then she will be able to play pro again, even with that scar."

Ryoma asked, only half-joking

"You giving up?"

Sayuri looked at him, her eyes narrowed.

"Not…A…Chance."

Ryoma grinned and said

"It looks to me like you are."

Sayuri slowly got to her feet, absently wiping the blood from her mouth. She kneaded her racquet head for a moment and then nodded determinedly. She grabbed the ball that Ryoma tossed to her and began her next serve.

_Pok. Pok. Pok._

_Pok. Pok. Pok._

Sayuri tossed it up into the air, higher than she ever had before, even on her 'Nagai serve'. Tezuka and the regulars jerked in surprise as Synna said

"It's almost the height she needs for one of her 'Hunting Techniques'…but not high enough. This'll be the 'Nevai serve'."

Fuji looked at Synna and asked

"The 'Nevai serve'?"

Reira piped up

"The Nevai serve. A serve that has the ball up higher than its cousin, the Nagai serve. It'll cut sharply in any direction once it's within Ryoma's hitting distance. Then it will, depending on what kind of spin Sayuri puts on it, either swerve around Ryoma and land on the base line, or…or it will shoot up from the ground, land on the base line and rocket back towards Sayuri herself. The chances of her catching it in her condition are next to nil, so she'll spin it so that it will swerve around Ryoma. He knows it too, so he'll be able to predict its course."

No one had to guess at what Reira didn't say

'Effectively getting another point for the first game.'

Sayuri leaped up to the ball and subtly tweaked the spin on the ball and watched as it went toward Ryoma. He grinned and leaped back as the ball seemed to disappear. His grin quickly slipped from his face as the ball hit the ground and shot up into the air, landed on the baseline, and shot back toward Sayuri.

Sayuri whipped to the side as the ball flew past her and shot her hand out to catch the ball. Her fingers closed around the ball and she winced slightly as her scar gave a tweak of pain. Sayuri dropped the ball to the ground and looked at her palm thoughtfully. She muttered under her breath and then picked up the ball again. She served a simple lob this time and before she could even move into a better position, Ryoma had it slamming past her head. She narrowed her eyes at him and tried for a service ace. He blocked it and slammed it past her again.

Sayuri looked over at her brother as she panted heavily, blood spilling from her mouth after her recent coughing fit. Her eyes flicked to the scoreboard and back to Ryoma

5-4

Ryoma's lead.

Sayuri grimaced as she realized that if Ryoma scored two more points he would win. After the first game, Ryoma had used his 'Double twist serve' a twist serve with double the spin on it, warping the air around the ball slightly so that it looked like there were two balls or more. He had won that game and then beaten her with his return aces; her scar had been killing her. Then for the next game he had used the same tactic as the games before it. Then she had won the three games after that with her Nagai and Nevai serves and her return drop shots. He hadn't expected her to put spin on the drop shots to make them jump back into the net immediately after landing. But now it was close to the match point for him, and she was tired.

Sayuri watched as Ryoma tossed the ball up into a serve and suddenly Sayuri could see past games, flashing before her eyes, of how she had won and what she had done. Her eyes widened as she finally understood. Ryoma's serve flashed past her as she finally figured this detail out. She stood still as the serve passed her, not even bothering to try to get it.

Ryoga sighed and said

"Looks like this is the end."

Ryoga silently mentioned

'She'll never return to the pros, or manage to make lasting friends. We might as well just kill her now. Put her out of her misery.'

Reira froze so suddenly that Fuji glanced at her. His eyes opened in amazement. Reira's eyes were wide open and her expression was one of sadness and pain. Fuji glanced at the match and saw Sayuri straighten up to her full height.

Sayuri half-turned and locked her eyes with Reira's. She slowly nodded and Reira smiled suddenly as Sayuri turned back to face Ryoma fully.

Reira said, relief evident in her voice

"Sayuri's game is not finished yet, nee-san. She's finally figured it out. She can still win!"

Ryoga, Svara, Synna, and the regulars all stared at Reira as she watched the game, totally focused.

Sayuri said "Hey Ryoma. Remember that one game that we played against each other? The one where I beat you in less than thirty minutes?"

Ryoma felt the first slivers of doubt in his mind.

"Yeah. What about them?"

Sayuri closed her eyes, inhaled deeply and said

"It's time to find out if my resolve is true."

Her eyes flashed open and speared Ryoma with a canny gleam.

"Ready or not, Ryoma. The hunt begins now."

Ryoma tossed the ball up into the air and yelled

"Get real! You lose this time!"

Ryoma hit the ball into a high backhand. Sayuri raced forward and intercepted it. Sayuri sliced a lob and, as Ryoma came up to get it, raced closer to the net. Ryoma slammed the ball toward the ground and felt a thrill of exhilaration as he finally beat his sister.

Or maybe not.

Ryoma froze at a familiar sound.

The soft pong of the ball hitting Sayuri's racquet.

Ryoma stared at Sayuri as her shot passed him. She had literally crossed over to the shot in a matter of milliseconds. Ryoma shivered as Sayuri started her service game. Her eyes were half-lidded, a dangerous omen for any opponent facing her. Her face was expressionless, an expression she didn't usually get so good unless…

Ryoma gasped as what he was seeing fully clicked together. This…_This_…was the 'Hunter' Sayuri. The Sayuri who casually crossed over the huge gap between human and hunter and balanced precariously on the edge between life and death that she had to in order to preform her 'Hunting Techniques'.

Sayuri flicked the ball into the air, higher than the Nagai serve, higher than even the Nevai serve.

Synna grinned and Reira smirked happily before saying

"This…this is the 'Hunting Techniques'. The style of play she has perfected nearly to the end. The style that pits her between life and death. The razor's edge of humanity. _That_ is what the 'Hunting Techniques' truly are."

Sayuri launched herself into the air, instantly balancing her inner self on the gulf between life and death, and 'thwacked' the ball.

Ryoma froze as the ball sped toward the ground, nicked the net's top, and bounced into the left box, then the right box, then, in a true gravity defying move, spun rapidly around Ryoma's frozen body, cracking the court floor slightly with the force behind the move, and shot back toward Sayuri, continuing its crazy spinning. Sayuri narrowed her eyes and then her right hand flashed out and caught the ball just before it smacked her in the face. Her eyes gleamed with an unnatural light as she quietly announced

"Hunting Technique one, rapid fire flood."

Reira smiled and said

"She's back. This is the Sayuri the Pro world knows. This is the 'Hunter' that no one can defeat. This is the Sayuri before the accident. This is the sister that I remember, not the beaten down wreck that she's been lately. This is Sayuri Echizen, the Huntress."

Fuji glanced at Reira and asked

"So who are you?"

Reira glanced at him and smiled

"Perhaps, one day, you'll find out."

Fuji mock pouted as Reira returned to the game, but inside he was grinning. The quick response had made him sort of entertained. Fuji looked back towards the court.

Sayuri launched the ball up into the air and then leaped upward. She slammed it at Ryoma and he instantly leaped to the left as the ball smacked into the ground where he had been and then seemed to unerringly follow him to the left. His eyes widened and he leaped back, the ball following, and ducked down so that the ball would fling itself back toward Sayuri. Her hand shot up and the ball hit her racquet before falling to the ground, its energy negated.

Sayuri murmured

"Hunting Technique two, heat tracker fire."

Ryoma glared at Sayuri and said

"Dammit."

Sayuri slowly let her inner self firmly return to the ground on the 'human' side as she glanced once again at the score

'7-5'

Her win.

Sayuri glanced at Ryoma's pouting face and her lips twitched slightly as she attempted to smile.

(One more thing, Ryoma believes that he is glaring, not pouting. A lot of people probably see a pout.)

Sayuri walked up to Ryoma and said

"You know, you moved pretty slowly out there too. Have you been keeping up with _your_ training regime?"

Ryoma turned and walked of the court as Sayuri flexed her hand thoughtfully. She turned as Reira raced up and hugged her happily. When Ryoga came up, he asked

"Will you return with us? Either of you?"

Sayuri glanced at Reira's face and then glanced at Tezuka and the rest of the regulars. She speared Ryoga with a canny look and counter asked

"Will you pay for the regulars' room and board?"

Ryoga blanched before he asked resignedly

"Is there any way to dissuade you from inviting them?"

Sayuri grinned, a grin most would see on Reira's face, and said

"I'm not inviting them; I'm making them come along. Their tennis abilities are atrociously degraded from what they could be."

Ryoga sighed and said

"Fine. When will you be ready to leave?"

Sayuri glanced at the regulars and said

"Tezuka."

Tezuka looked at her and said

"Where is it you are planning to drag us off to?"

Sayuri walked over to him and patted his head.

(Kinda like a dog.)

She smirked slightly and said

"I'm dragging all of you to America to train. While you're there, of Course you'll be watching the Us Open from first row seats and Inui can collect more data and then he and Taylor can cook up some ghastly juice mixture that they, and maybe a few others, are immune to and knock the rest of us on our backs."

Inui perked up at the mention of his 'ghastly juices' and asked

"Who is Taylor?"

Synna piped up

"Taylor Smith. She's the sister of Kevin Smith and a bit of a lab nerd. She's in charge of the 'energizer drinks' that we are supposed to drink, but most people dump them onto the ground to be safe. Usually they leave the grass multi-colored and smelling something awful. Or it kills the grass within five meters of it and the smell leaves something to be desired. Plus we have Kaiya Takeuchi. She makes most of the workouts and then she'll set booby traps everywhere to make sure that we have to drink Taylor's drinks because we can't complete an exercise. Basically our team is just like yours…kinda."

Reira, in an attempt to imitate Eiji, leaped on Synna's back and chimed in

"Come on, buchou. It'll be great for you guys as well. Eiji might be able to get even faster than he already is and you can meet the only person who has ever managed to beat Sayuri."

Sayuri's eyebrow twitched slightly as she asked

"Was that necessary?"

Reira grinned and turned to Eiji

"Well, are you guys coming with us?"

Eiji looked at Tezuka, who pinched the bridge of his nose in preparation for the headache this would cause, and nodded

Eiji and Momo punched the air and shouted out, with everyone else looking on with wide ranging expressions

"We're going to America!"

Okay, I gave you an extra-long chapter this time, so I don't want any yelling at me okay?

Next chapter they'll all go to America and Ryoma will go with them and they'll annoy each other. By the way, I know Ryoma's attire is OC but I just think that that would be rather cool to see on someone. I mean, Sayuri and Reira have matching jewelry. Their bracelet attaches to their necklace under their clothes.

Aw well, see you all next time

Whenever that is

Adios~

Next chapter: America

Coming

…

Sometime.


	11. Author Note Please Read

**~NOT A CHAPTER~**

Okay, I know that all of you are probably not too happy with me, but I'm stuck. I can't figure out what to do next. If anyone has ideas, please message me, otherwise…

Sorry 'bout this.

Silver Flyer~


	12. Chapter 10

Hey, I'm back…for now. Suffering from writer's block still, but I managed to get a few pages out.

Onto the story

Sayuri grinned at Synna as she heard Tezuka sigh, for the fifth time since meeting up with the team for the morning.

They had been given permission, and they had dragged Ryoma along too.

Sayuri turned toward the plane window and gazed out as America came into view.

She smiled bitterly as a few old memories assaulted her, but she shook them off and poked her sleeping brother.

Sayuri glanced at Reira as they entered the team's training ground. They hadn't been here in ages. Reira glanced back and then pointed to a burnt piece of grass. Sayuri looked at it and blanched.

Not even noon yet for America and Taylor had aleady made someone spill some of her 'health' drink.

Sayuri groaned and muttered

"If that's a health drink, then I'm a shapeshifting llama."

Synna giggled and asked

"What color of a llama are you?"

Sayuri glared at her before muttering a bit more.

Ryoga grinned as he saw a girl with silver hair near the locker. He waved and called out

"Hey, Tally, anybody dead yet?"

Tally looked up and scrutinized the group with dark blue eyes. She shook her head and said

"Not yet, but Taylor is getting better at making her juices. I think they've gone up in toxicity by about 15%, though you would have to ask her to be sure."

Ryoga shuddered and said

"No thanks. If I did that, she would invite me to drink one of them."

Tally grinned crookedly and gestured toward one of the farther off courts.

"They're over there."

Ryoga grinned and said

"Thanks."

Tally nodded, her green t-shirt still slightly damp from sweat. Her black shorts had the small silver figure of a cat on it.

She waved and said

"Nice to see you again, Reira, Sayuri."

Reira waved and Sayuri nodded.

Reira perked up as they entered the court and saw one of the tennis players practicing. Sayuri whistled and said

"Still smarting over the kick I gave you?"

The male turned around. His bluish purple eyes widened slightly as he saw Sayuri and then he grinned, running his left hand through his shoulder length blue hair. He waved and said

"I'm pretty sure you're probably still mad at me for winning that one game."

Sayuri shook her head and said

"I dragged the Seigaku tennis team with us, they need some serious training."

Sayuri turned to Tezuka and said

"Kunimetsu Tezuka, Arashi Yukimura. Yukimura-buchou is from Japan, he moved over here before I moved to Japan."

There.

Now Seichii Yukimura has a brother.

Next chapter will come out eventually.


End file.
